Joe A. and Bertha Harper House
Rockport, Aransas County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Built around 1910, this two-story frame Colonial Revival was used as a boarding house for shipyard employees. The home was also used for shelter for 50 refugees during the 1919 hurricane that devastated the coast. In 1920, county judge Joe A. Harper (1881-1928) and his new wife, Bertha Oertling Harper (1888-1978), purchased the home. Judge Harper, a four-term County Judge, was influential in bringing the first coastal highway to the area which spurred development. After Joe’s untimely death in 1928, Bertha and her siblings lived in the home for almost 45 years while she continued her long career as a teacher for primary grades and at the First Baptist Church.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Raised around 1910 as a boarding house for shipyard workers, this two-story Colonial Revival frame home sheltered fifty refugees during the devastating 1919 coastal hurricane. In 1920 county judge Joe A. Harper and his wife Bertha bought the house; the four-term judge helped bring the first coastal highway to the area, spurring its growth. After Joe's early death in 1928, Bertha stayed on for nearly 45 years while teaching primary grades.
Why it matters
The house ties together the storm-battered resilience of the Gulf coast and the road-building boom that opened small Texas towns to the automobile age.
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Related people
- · Joe A. Harper
- · Bertha Oertling Harper
Themes & tags
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